Kaplinsky gears up for Five News debut

Natasha Kaplinsky will make her Channel Five News debut on February 18, promising a human interest and celebrity take on the day's events.

The former BBC presenter became the highest paid newsreader in Britain when she was signed up by Five for a reported £1m a year.

Kaplinsky said the production team on the Sky News-produced bulletin had been "incredibly busy" in the past few weeks preparing for the relaunch in less than a fortnight's time.

She will present two bulletins at 5pm and 7pm, after the early evening edition was moved forward 30 minutes to make way for a soap hour featuring Home and Away and another signing from the BBC, Neighbours.

The Australian soap arrives on Five next Monday, February 11, a week before Kaplinsky makes her debut.

"The production team have been incredibly busy in the last few weeks trying to get everything set up for the relaunch," Kaplinsky wrote on her Five News blog.

"Obviously there will be the news of the day and then some extra bits and pieces with some real human interest stories and some celebrities. As well as the content of the programme the look of the new Five News is all important."

Five News will relaunch five weeks after ITV reinstated News at Ten to go head to head with the BBC1's 10pm bulletin, fronted by Huw Edwards.

James Haggar, the Five News director, said: "It's getting really exciting. We have just signed off the titles, the graphics and the music, we are really pleased with those.

"It has taken a bit of a while but we have come up with something that we are really happy with. The next big challenge is getting the old set out and the new set in ... all whilst we are still on air. It is going to be a tough time but at the end of the day it is going to be all right on the night."

The Five senior programme controller, Chris Shaw, said: "Ten years on from the famous perch people are still obsessing with soft furnishings and the desk. I hope they pay attention to the content as well, which will be equally pioneering."

The second nightly Five News bulletin will go head to head with Channel 4 News, fronted by Jon Snow.

· To contact the MediaGuardian newsdesk email editor@mediatheguardian.com or phone 020 7239 9857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 7278 2332.

· If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".